Memento
by JeveGreen
Summary: On the seventh anniversery of Cosmo's death, Tails spends his night home alone to let out his grief to the walls of his bedroom. His dreams, however, are interupted by a very close call. Based on one of my very first ideas for a Taismo-story. Summary may change as the story progress. Beware, this one's going to be long folks.
1. Chapter 1

Miles "Tails" Prower, a young mobian fox at fifteen years of age, sits quietly in his bedroom and stares out through the window into the clear night sky… He tries counting the stars he can see in his head, but cannot seem to pass the number two…

There shouldn't be just him leaning out that window in that moment… There should be another creature there with him, sitting right next to him, the two of them leaning into each other and just enjoying the serene silence, disturbed only by the sound of their own breathing… But as it was, the utter silence felt like it was closing in on Tails, choking him…

He shook his head to himself and closed the window abruptly, closing the curtains behind himself. He shouldn't be such a bloody softy! It had been seven years now, to the day… to the very hour… He should be over her…

Tails let out a sigh of defeat. "You know when you're in love when years can't tear your feelings from you…"

Looking across his bedroom towards his dresser he saw two things: A flowerpot containing a pure, white rose. Standing next to it was a framed picture.

Tails looked at the flower as he walked closer. As it was night the petals had retracted, like if the flower was asleep. But when it blossomed, like it would do every day at noon, its white was so strong and pure it might blind someone. It was a simple, yet spectacular sight to behold.

Arriving at the dresser, Tails picked up the picture to look closer at it… It was a group photo, including himself and some of his closest friends, taken more than seven years ago. Also in the picture was a young girl… The red rosebuds in her hair might be mistaken for accessories, but they were in fact a part of her body, something which amongst her kind was an equal part of identity as a face. Her image brought tears to Tails' eyes.

"Cosmo…" He wiped the tears away as they began trailing down his cheeks. "Mother Gaia knows that I miss you like nothing else."

Tails put the picture down on his dresser again… He remembered the adventure he'd met Cosmo in like if it had happened yesterday…

"Those accursed metarex… I would face all of them alone if it meant bringing you back Cosmo."

Tightening his fist, he slammed it into the bed behind himself. The softened sound of fist on cloth was hardly fulfilling, but it was enough for Tails' anger to be dispersed.

"But then again… it wasn't by their hands that you died."

Looking at his open palm for a second, Tails clenched his fist again and shut his eyes… His anger towards himself was strong.

"It doesn't matter how long I wait… Time can't heal this wound I have inflicted on us!"

Tails raised his fist to strike his bed again, but he couldn't make it fall… Instead, his entire body fell onto the bed. Wriggling in the bedding, Tails muffled his cries with the pillow.

"I shouldn't have fired that shot… There must've been another way to stop them!"

As he kept crying into the pillow, Tails hardly noticed how he started to feel the fatigue and sorrow claim his consciousness. Before he'd realised it he'd fallen asleep, still sobbing in his sleep… Even his dreams this night seemed to be of Cosmo and their adventures together, and he experienced their time together once again…

As Tails saw the end of his and Cosmo's adventure, the final blast which was aimed at the metarex and Cosmo, and heard the thunderous sound of the impact, he soon realised something… He was awake. The sound wasn't just part of a dream.

"What the…?"

Jumping out of bed and parting the curtains, allowing in the early light of dawn into his bedroom, Tails saw a small fire in his backyard surrounding some strange object…

"Holy smokes!" Tails rushed out of the bedroom and down into the kitchen where he kept a fire extinguisher. Had a meteorite struck just outside his house? It made little difference what was going on, he had to put out that fire before it spread!

Scurrying outside with the extinguisher in tow, Tails made quick work of the still small fire. As the smoke settled, Tails leaned forward to investigate a hole in his garden, no doubt made as a result of whatever sparked the fire. It was hardly a half foot deep, but it was wide, indicating a large object…

Waving away some of the smoke which had settled in the crevices of the hole, Tails began to see a shape of some sort… It was a deep black, almost like obsidian glass.

"_Is it a volcanic rock?"_ The theory was soon dispelled. This thing, whatever it was, was too smooth to be rock. It felt more like it was made of leather…

Leather… or maybe it was skin? Tails leaned into the hole and was almost poked in the eye when some sort of spines bounced out of the hole. They were of the same black surface as the object, only with red stripes running across them…

Black with red stripes…? Tails had a suspicion, and he needed to have it confirmed quickly.

Reaching down, Tails felt the shape of the object. There was no doubt: This was a mobian creature, probably someone he knew… He pulled out the creature from the hole with little effort. As he saw the face of him there was no denying it. It was Shadow the Hedgehog, someone who'd been on his adventure with Cosmo, among other things.

"You never cease to amaze…" Tails murmured to Shadow as he picked him up and carried him inside the house. Once he was there, he put Shadow on the couch in the living room, allowing him to rest and recover. "I wonder what sort of story you'll have this time… It'll be something about the Chaos Emeralds at least, I'm quite certain of that already. Or maybe it's about the Master Emerald. Knuckles wouldn't be happy if that was the-"

Stopping himself mid-phrase as he noticed a glimmer coming from Shadow clenched hand, Tails decided to investigate. As he was still unconscious, there was no trouble in retrieving the object in Shadow's hand… It looked like some sort of jewellery; a brooch… Shaped like a flower, it had all the colours of the rainbow within its encrusted gemstones, and had been neatly polished.

Tails needed only take one look at this elaborate trinket to know what it was, and from whence it came… Shortly before the picture in his room had been taken, Tails had returned a brooch to Cosmo which looked exactly the same as this one, having found it at the crash site where he first met her.

Tails looked between the brooch and Shadow with a flabbergasted expression. Why would Shadow hold on to this thing? How did he even get his hands on it in the first place?

"…Whatever your story is, I really want to hear it."


	2. Chapter 2

A loud crash from upstairs almost made Tails loose his footing, and Cosmo's brooch. Looking up, he saw an indentation in the ceiling just above the couch.

"Luck's on your side today Shadow" Tails said to Shadow. "Anyway, try to stay put for me. I need to check the damage."

Running upstairs, Tails went into the guestroom, which was placed right above the living room. Inside he found what looked like a white sack in the middle of the ruined bed.

"You brought your luggage along you, did you Shadow? Nice…"

Flipping over the crushed bed on its side, Tails took a closer look at this "sack" he'd found. He let out a tired sigh as he realised how much effort this event was going to cost to repair. He reached out to grab the sack, when suddenly a metallic arm extended out from within and pushed him over.

"Hey!"

As the "sack" began to move about, it became clear to Tails that it wasn't merely a normal bag of cloth… The white cloth was actually a garment of some sort, a cloak, covering up the casing of a 6 feet tall robot…

"Get back!" Tails shouted, getting to his feet in a hurry.

The robot turned towards him… A black veil covered its face, but the mere presence this thing had told Tails it had to be more than a simple robot… Perhaps it was one of Eggman's inventions?

"Miles Prower, I presume…"

Tails was surprised to hear the thing speak with a feminine voice, but he still wouldn't let down his guard. "What's it to you?"

"Relax… You have nothing to fear from me, assuming I have nothing to fear from you."

Tails had been holding up his clenched fists up to this point, but he now lowered them, even though he would still keep some distance from this "thing". A lot of questions needed answers before he would even remotely trust whoever, or whatever, this was. "Myself, I assume you want something from me, considering you just crashed through my roof."

"No, not from you… But I need to see to the condition of the creature you harbour in your house. His insight and experience is vital to my quest…"

"Would you care to explain a little more, so that I don't bring Shadow's hunter right to his nest?"

The thing chuckled at Tails' cautious stance. "You do well to question me, Tails… Shadow and I are partners in a search for someone. It's very important we find her quickly."

"…Find whom?"

"I'm not certain I can entrust you with such knowledge. Ask Shadow, he's in charge of this."

"He's unconscious. I couldn't ask him anything no matter how much I would like to… And believe me I have just as many questions to ask of him as I have of you."

"He's alive then? Good… I feared the entrance would cause irreversible damage. It seems he truly is, as he would claim, stronger than most."

"Who are you anyway? And by Gaia's Grace, what are you?"

"My name is Alice… That is all you need to know."

"It's not all I want to know though, is it "Alice"? Look, I have trouble trusting you as it is. I need to see your face at least, just so I know whether you belong amongst us respectable creatures."

Alice puffed, almost spat at Tails' words. "Respectable creatures… From what they say about you Tails, I thought you were better than this. Respect is not a word casually tossed about, given to just any creature you come across… That word must be earned, given as a sign that the creature in question is an example, something to look up to. Personally, I'd not consider most creatures around here respectable in any which way. This society you've built around yourselves doesn't give much for individual merit, other than praise and applause; hardly anything worth fighting for… Only the few fools who truly care for such things can rise to the top. It is sickening… such a waste of potential!"

"Don't change the subject! Respect and trust are nothing if there is no face to place them upon. I need to see yours, 'lest I can't give you neither."

"Such a pity… I can't show you, or anyone else, my face. It carries a secret, a curse… and I would not have it spread upon the unworthy."

"Then I can't trust you, is that what you're saying?"

"I'm saying that the only way you'll see my face is to beat me to a pulp! And judging by your stance, it would take a lot for you to achieve such a feat."

"Oh I'm not such a poor fighter, I'll have you know."

"You're a mere engineer Tails. I am a trained soldier, an elite combatant… You lack both the strength and the skill to best me. Do us both a favour and don't try my patience. It is strained as is… All I ask is to see Shadow. I must speak with him, it's important!"

"So is his safety! I can't just let you waltz in there when you won't even reveal your face to me!"

"Oh Gaia's Mercy… You animals take too much stock in appearances. And I've told you, I can't show you my face, even if I'd like to. Let's put it this way: It's for your own safety. Those creatures that see my face die… simple as that. I wouldn't wish for that to happen to you."

"…It's merely a matter of security?"

"Medusa's eyes could turn you into stone… My face would be the death of you. I mean you no harm, nor do I Shadow. Please… Just let me go downstairs and see if he's alright."

Studying Alice as carefully as possible, Tails still felt uneasy by her presence. Still, trust could only develop if one side would give it… Perhaps he should give her a chance to prove her honesty.

"Alright… I'll let you see him. But I'm watching you…"

"I could ask for no more. Thank you Tails."

"…Don't let me down, Alice."

Once downstairs, Tails saw that Shadow was turning about as if almost ready to wake up.

"Looks like he's coming to" he told Alice.

Alice looked past Tails and over to Shadow. She walked over to his side, just as he opened his eyes.

"How're you feeling Shadow?" she asked him with a laugh in her voice.

"…Like if I fell for a mile or two" Shadow replied in the same tone, drawing a chuckle from Alice. "It's good to see you're safe at least."

"I was never in any danger. You on the other hand were another case. I was afraid you'd be killed by the forces involved in an unprotected jump!"

"Does that mean you'll trust my word now?"

"…I guess I have no choice, do I? You truly are an ultimate creature."

"At least we've arrived at our destination. Now we just- huh…" Padding down his tattered clothes, Shadow grew worried. "It's not here… The brooch is gone."

"What? Have you lost the brooch?! But that was our only lead!"

Tails realised this would be the perfect time for him to make his entrance… A lot of his questions had been answered simply by listening to the conversation between these two. Now he needed to get himself involved…

"Is this what you're looking for?" Tails asked, showing Shadow the brooch.

"Miles… I guess you realise what that thing means, don't you?"

"Your friend said you were looking for someone… I'm guessing this someone is a seedarian."

"Not just any seedarian… You used to know her, seven years ago."

Tails jaw dropped at this statement in a literal fashion. But he still couldn't believe what he'd just heard. "You're looking for Cosmo…? But she was destroyed. I fired the cannon myself. You were part of the projectile!"

"One strike Tails… While she was indeed shot at by us, she was not entirely destroyed… I managed to reach her with chaos control before that happened."

Tails was awestruck, and exhilarated, to hear this piece of news from Shadow. But there were still many questions lingering.

"Wh-where is she?"

"Don't get too excited yet Tails… She is most likely alive, but I don't know where she's at."

"What do you mean by that? This wasn't your first time using chaos control. You must've had some idea of what you were doing!"

"The form of chaos control I used to both contain the blast and transport myself and Cosmo out of harm's way was one which I've never had to use before… I've done many things with chaos in the past Tails, but creating a vortex through which to send three things to different, specified places isn't one of them… I tried to retain control, but I had to put all my focus on the blast so that it wouldn't cause massive damage. In fact it was all I could do to prevent us from ending up in an alternate universe, or in the middle of a sun! I know that Cosmo ended up on the surface of a planet somewhere, just like I did, but little else… I've been spending these last seven years looking for her. If I had any good clue as to where she was I'd have found her by now."

Hearing Shadow's tale was giving Tails a headache… But a rumbling stomach reminded him of two things: It was still just dawn, and he'd not had a bite to eat since he got up. Hunger was settling in.

"This is a lot to take in at once… Do you guys want some breakfast? I know I do…"

"Something warm in my casket would be a nice variation" Alice said with a happy tone. "I'm in for that!"

"Let's speak more after we're done eating then" Shadow suggested. "It would be nice with a bit of toast first."


	3. Chapter 3

After having finished breakfast Tails, Shadow and Alice spent their first two minutes in silence, almost as if waiting for one of the others to start speaking. It was a little eerie, but not half as eerie as before introductions had been made.

"…I suppose you want to know where we stand at, am I right?" Shadow finally asked, breaking the uncomfortable silence.

Tails scratched the back of his head. He was curious about the search naturally, but there was something else bugging him. "I'm actually more curious as to why you didn't come to us, to me, at once… I know we would've been helpful, if only as extra manpower."

"I didn't wish to induce any false hope… I'll say it from the start: I don't know for certain whether Cosmo is still alive or not. And even if she is, so many things can happen to a creature over seven years of time. There's a chance the chaos energy she was exposed to in itself has changed her drastically… But with that said, if I thought she was gone without a doubt I wouldn't have spent all this time looking for her."

Tails looked sideways at Shadow, letting out a sly smirk. "You could've just said that you work best alone Shadow."

"Hmph… I'll take that as a compliment."

"In fact, I'm surprised at your company… whatever she is."

Alice crossed her arms in front of herself. "You certainly have a knack for these "compliments" I keep hearing."

"Easy Alice…" Shadow briefly put his arm up in front of Alice. "It's a rather complicated story…"

"I wouldn't say it was so complicated" Alice interrupted Shadow, who reluctantly let her continue. "I encountered him on Cascade, a planet which turned into a wasteland after the metarex war. He'd been set upon by some crafty thieves… There's little good to being an ultimate lifeform if you can't hit your targets."

"Like I said, complicated… But yes, she helped me out of a sticky situation. Then, after discovering the similarities between our quests, we decided to travel together as partners."

"Hmm…" Tails rubbed his chin in thought. "Excuse me for digressing, but I've heard a few things about the thieves of Cascade as of late. They're considered some of the most dangerous criminals you could encounter in the galaxy."

"Well they're crafty I'll give them that…" Shadow commented bitterly. "Anyway, that was five years ago now… It's not been very eventful searching blindly for a flower-adorned girl, save the occasional thug or bandit… They've been multiplying since the metarex were defeated."

Alice nodded in agreement. "It's a power vacuum. When an empire falls it leaves space for others to rise in its place; and this was a large empire that just fell. There was bound to be crevices that governments and dictators couldn't fill…"

Tails sighed sadly. "War is such a terrible thing, even when it ends…"

"There's little we can do about it though" Shadow stated bluntly. Feeling Tails' piercing eyes pointing towards him however, he felt it necessary to elaborate. "We can only do so much ourselves, even when we decide to band together. So we might as well carry on with our own lives and try to piece together what we can along the way."

"…and that seamlessly brings us to our quest" Alice hinted.

"Yes… There's a lot I can tell you about our search, but the basic facts are simple. The brooch which you hold onto at the moment is vital, as it holds a connection to Cosmo via chaos. I've been following a trail I recently discovered through it …and curiously it has led me right here, to Mobius…"

"Does that mean she's here?" Tails asked in surprise.

"Perhaps… the ways of chaos are hard to interpret at times. But even if she's not here, there's no doubt something on Mobius that will lead us closer to her."

"This is as close as we've ever been to any form of progress. I was starting to lose faith in our search a few weeks ago, when Shadow first realised the importance of that amulet."

"It's a brooch Alice… You wear it on a jacket or a suit, not around your neck. There's a difference."

"Bah! I couldn't care less for such trivial things! There is more important knowledge to a traveller than how to drink your liquor properly."

"I thought you hoped to leave that road once we found Cosmo. Have you had a change of mind?"

"Ha! Hardly! I just don't think jewellery matters. Trinkets and tips aren't my fancy, shall we say?"

"Oh I think I've noticed your fancy though… It's not a shoddy weapon you carry into battle."

"It's the very best of its kind. It's simple, it's heavy and it can slice a body apart just as easily as it can crush it. I think I might be in love!"

Tails' right eye twitched at hearing such a statement like the one Alice just made. He disliked weapons and all that they stood for… but this girl on the other hand seemed to adore them, like some sort of savage barbarian!

"…Did you get something in your eye Tails?" Alice asked as she saw Tails' reaction.

"Um, no, it's alright…" Tails rubbed his face as he realised he was making a grimace. "But never mind that! Where exactly are you going to search next? Mobius is a rather large world."

Shadow reached out with his hand towards Tails. "If you hand over the brooch I can tell you where…"

Tails frowned a little… He felt disinclined to hand over this, one of the few remnants of his time with Cosmo. But if what Shadow claimed was true, he might be able to look at more than his memories of Cosmo in the future… After a mere second's hesitation he handed the brooch over to Shadow.

"Hmm…" Shadow appeared to be looking intently at the brooch, rubbing it a little, before shortly thereafter handing it back to Tails. "I think it's best if you keep that for the moment. It seems one clue hides very close to this location."

"How can you feel that?" Tails asked with amazement.

"I hold great power within me Tails, especially in the arts of chaos. The resonance between the brooch and this location is strong… There's something in this house which holds a close connection to Cosmo."

"In this house…? I-I've had something in here that could've led me to Cosmo without knowing it for seven years?!"

Alice laughed a little at the irony of Tails' situation. "The closer you get to something the less obvious it becomes. It's like when you're searching for your glasses, before realising they're right there on your nose."

"But how close exactly? Can you give me a clue Shadow?"

After a short ponder, Shadow pointed upwards. "It's on the second floor, I'm sure of it."

"There's little to be found on the second floor. Well, there's the picture we took together on the Typhoon and-…" Tails' eyes widened as he realised exactly what they were looking for. Before the pair could even question him he was on his feet and running upstairs.

"Hold on Tails!" Alice shouted as she and Shadow gave chase after him.

The duo quickly found Tails in his bedroom, holding a potted plant in his hands. "This is it!" he stated elatedly.

"A white rose…?" Shadow said inquisitively. "Let me have a closer look."

Tails cautiously handed the rose over to Shadow. "Be careful with it… It grew from the seed we found at the site of Cosmo's dea-, uh, disappearance…"

"It grew from the same seed? So this flower has been alive for seven straight years. Impressive…" Shadow stated, looking over the structure of the rose.

"Seven years and a day now… I've kept count."

Alice chuckled a little. "And here I thought Shadow was obsessed about Cosmo. But you are keeping tabs on the birthday of her flora!"

Tails blushed from the prod. "What can I say…? She was, and still is, very special to me."

"Oh I have no doubt about that!"

"Be quiet a moment you two…" Shadow told the others, as one of his hands touched the petals of the rose. Immediately afterwards he drew a deep breath, as if overcome with some emotion. "The makers have mercy…"

"Wh-what is it?" Tails asked nervously as he heard Shadow's tone.

"I felt strong fear… but also determination and compassion. This is like a crystallized memory to anyone attuned with chaos."

Tails' ears flopped down a little. "A memory of when Cosmo…"

"Yes… But it also points towards another place… likely the place that Cosmo ended up when I warped us."

Tails' ears perked right back up as he heard this. "Wh-where is that?!"

Shadow handed back the rose to Tails, who accepted it with shivering hands.

"…We'll need to hitch a ride. Can we use the Typhoon?"

"Actually I dismantled most of the Typhoon after we returned. I only kept the runway intact, as a small memory of those days… But I have another spaceship available! It's much smaller, but it shouldn't require the use of a chaos emerald. In fact it will run on almost any source of energy available."

"Then pack your bags Tails. Because I assume you want to come along with us to Cascade."

"…More than anything in the Universe!"


	4. Chapter 4

Inside a large hanger, Alice leaned on what looked like a supersized fighter jet; Tails' space machine, while rolling her thumbs as she waited for Tails and Shadow to return from their errand at any minute now. She was just about to go for another "practice session" outside when, finally, a door opened across the room and the two mobians arrived through it.

Alice walked away from the machine a few steps, meeting the duo midway. "There you are guys. I hope you finished your goodbyes now?" she asked them impatiently.

"Yes we did… or rather, Tails finished his" Shadow answered.

"Maybe I should've kept the Typhoon intact after all. Then the others could've come along with us."

"Three's a crowd in my opinion, and we're already at that number… I'm not sure I could spend much time with your friends before punching someone, especially that rabbit-girl or Amy…"

Tails looked at Shadow upset. "I never quite understood why you have such a problem with creatures!"

"Why I have a problem with creatures? They're noisy, they smell and they expect you to follow a code of conduct that is sickly sweet to just about anyone you come across. …for starters! If it were up to me, I'd spend as little time as possible with others… save the few who don't get on my nerves every six seconds like your brother."

Tails opened his mouth to say something, when Alice interrupted him by blowing a loud whistle. "Hey! I've been waiting here for more than an hour now, and I don't want to wait any longer for us to get going! So boys, if you must; continue the conversation onboard!"

Tails was taken back by the force behind Alice's words, and could do nothing for three seconds but stare at her with terror. Shadow on the other hand simply drew a relieved sigh and did as told, tagging along with Alice. As Tails' senses returned to him he shook his head and followed suit, catching up with the others inside the jet.

"Did I ever tell you that you sound like a drill sergeant when you shout?" Shadow asked Alice as they both entered the jet, shortly before Tails.

"Well I hope I do! I mean, I shout when I want creatures to hear me" Alice responded candidly. But as she saw Tails enter the jet, still shivering slightly, she just couldn't resist the extension. "…or occasionally to scare them stiff."

Tails ignored the teasing remark, and the chuckling, and simply headed for the cockpit across the jet.

"You'll have to excuse the lack of space inside the Twister, but she's built for efficiency rather than size" Tails said as he took the single pilot's seat. "Any bigger and I'd have to power her with something stronger than weeds."

"Don't smoke kids" Alice joked around, chuckling at her own joke.

"Are we all giddy and ready now? If we are, I'll get us off the ground. Strap yourselves in! She's fast…!"

With the Twister's help, the trio managed to travel from Mobius to Cascade in about two hours. The discussion about Shadow's apparent antisocial attitude was lost somewhere along the moons of Mobius, the interest in speed after they'd landed. Instead the question on Tails' mind at the moment was:

"Where exactly are we…?"

Gazing across the mostly barren landscape in the afternoon sun, Tails could see little else but the tall, brown grass that seemed to thrive all over the place, with only a few, scattered trees in the distance making up landmarks. The most distinguishing trait of the area, however, seemed to be its hills, ranging from small slopes to a huge mountain far on the horizon overlooking the entire area. With the Twister parked at one of the more modestly sized hills, it was clear that wherever they were going it was going to test their climbing skills.

"The locals call this place "Bröneberge", an old Cascadian name for "brown mountains" if I'm not mistaken" Alice said, brushing with her hands through the grass. "And judging by the not-so-subtle surroundings, I would guess I'm not…"

"It seems Cascade has improved since last we were here" Shadow stated, risking a smile as he looked across the landscape. "I know what you think Tails, but if you'd seen Cascade five years ago you would agree with me without hesitation."

"I don't think I want to know…" Tails stated soberly, looking at one of the higher hills in the area whilst imagining what it would look like barren. "You said that the rose led you here somewhere?"

"Yes, it was a clear track. We should head for the centre of the brown, which is in one of the valleys around here. There we should find something… bright yellow."

"Bright yellow… You mean similar to my fur?"

"Yes something like that… We'd do well to stay close together though. The brown mountains are known for being infested with bandits and thieves… some of them extremely well organized. Not that I'm worried or anything, but it pays to be careful."

"Good thing I always carry my weapons with me then" Alice stated, brandishing a weapon that looked like a machete mounted on a metal pole, which had been folded inside her cloak.

"What in Gaia's name is that?" Tails asked, stricken with a mixture of awe and fear for this huge "spear".

"This is a polearm known as a "guan dao", a traditional weapon of my kind. Though this little beauty is heavily modified and modernized, adding both weight and durability to its already deadly construction, it's always been my absolute favourite weapon! Why? Because it's everything you could wish for! It's strong, versatile, heavy, sharp, lovely, fantastic, beautif-!"

"Simmer down! I think you've answered my question well enough already!" Tails interrupted Alice as she started derailing in her praising the dao. "But I must say… I have never seen a weapon like that in my life."

"And you will likely never see another…!" Alice's tone was cheerful, but it was also creased with some form of sorrow… like if the weapon she held represented both a dream and a nightmare at the same time.

"Are you done now Alice?" Shadow asked patiently.

Alice nodded in response. "Yeah, I'm done… I can't wait to show it off in action though!"

Tails made a sheepish smile as he imagined the bloodshed this weapon could cause, along with Alice's sadistically gleeful smile as she dealt it… "Err, by all means! Don't rush yourself for my sake…"

As the trio departed their location, heading in the direction of the brown mountains' middle, they were carefully monitored by a pair of brown eyes, hiding amongst the grass as their pleased owner smiled to himself…

"Trinkets galore…" was all he said to himself, before disappearing into the brush with not so much as a rustle to betray his presence…


	5. Chapter 5

The trio of creatures travelled through the hills for some twenty minutes. With each step they took it was evident that whatever feral creatures lived here would be as strong as the rocks they climbed every day, or night. To their surprise, however, there didn't seem to be many signs of animal life in the hills, despite the plethora of grass and cover.

"I can't hear so much as a bug…" Tails mumbled to himself, feeling anxious from the relative solitude.

"I don't like it either…" Alice stated quietly. "It's almost as if the animals had been driven away by predators, but on a much larger scale…"

Shadow rubbed his chin as he thought. "It might be a side effect from the metarex assault. Perhaps the fauna couldn't handle the loss of their planet egg as well as the flora… Similar effects have occurred on other planets, if the rumour is correct."

"How would that make sense?" Tails asked.

"How to explain it…?" Shadow thought for a minute before speaking his answer. "The planet itself is what sustains many of the plants across the universe, through nutrients and moisture among other things. If the planet egg, the very heart of the planet, were to be taken from it, however, the planet would start to decay, grow sick, and its first symptom would be the degradation of the ecosystem. The flora would begin to perish, or worse, become toxic. The wildlife couldn't handle such an environment, as everything that fed off the plants would become sick, and they would spread their sickness to the carnivores. Animals died at very fast rates during the war. Everyone thought the return of the planet eggs would resurrect them as it did the flora, but that hasn't been the case. The flora was in direct contact to the planet, and thus could be revived through the revival of the planet. The wildlife was not…"

Alice nodded solemnly. "I even heard of a few cases where the wildlife endured the war itself, only to later succumb to the sickness that came with it. It just goes to show that it's not the battles of war that take the most lives…"

Tails sighed, noticing the carcass of a few beetles in the grass as he looked down. "If only we could've been quicker…"

"There are many "what if"-s in all of our lives. We've all made choices in the past, and we can't go back to change them. Sufficient to say, we all did what we thought best at the time" Shadow stated.

Tails nodded slowly. "Yeah… I just pray we can learn from the mistakes we've made. And I hope that whatever happens, that we'll never have to face another war like the one with the metarex…"

"If merely for the sake of solace…" Alice mumbled to herself, looking into the distance. "Cosmo…"

Tails looked over at Alice… There was something weird about seeing her like this, to the background of Cascade's sun slowly setting amongst the hills. But even weirder, now that he thought about it, was her mission… Tails might understand Shadow's concern for Cosmo, if there was anything to understand about his motives. But Alice was a relative stranger to him… What was her interest in Cosmo, for which she would spend equal time along with Shadow to search for her? Why was Cosmo so important to Alice?

He opened his mouth to ask Alice this question, but was distracted by something… A sound in the brush… He turned to where it came from, but he could see nothing.

"What's the matter Tails?" Shadow asked as he noticed Tails' focused gaze. "Did you hear something?"

"I think I did…" Tails replied semiconsciously, still scouring his surroundings.

"A bandit…?" Alice asked quickly, reaching inside her cloak for her weapon.

Shadow stopped her hands, before putting a hand on Tails' shoulder, pulling his attention to himself. "Come now, we still have some distance to cross."

"But the bandits…"

"Don't mind them Tails. If they're bold enough to strike they'll have a taste of me and Alice. Let's go now before it gets dark and they actually get the advantage…"

Shadow led the party on for another hour or so. Just as the sun started to reach the horizon he stopped, looking around from atop the hill they had reached.

"How much longer…?" Tails asked, feeling his legs getting tired from the walk.

"I didn't think you'd complain about being tired, the way you're known for running after your brother all the time" Alice remarked.

"Well I have the right to be lazy, don't I?" Tails teased, getting a pair of crossed arms from Alice. "Heh, no it's actually so that I've not taken practice as seriously since after the metarex… Other things have come in-between; life has caught up with me simply."

"Yes, I suppose peace does that to creatures… There's nothing wrong with peace of course! We need the reward for our efforts, relief from death and hurt… But we tend to forget that peace isn't eternal, no matter how hard we struggle to maintain it. You need to be interested in keeping yourself fit if you wish to stay so in times of peace. And trust me, when peace is broken you'll want to be fit…"

There was something about Alice's words that told Tails this wasn't merely a mockery of his endurance… This was also an experience on Alice's part.

"Did the metarex attack your home Alice? Where are you from?"

"…My origins are secret, but I can tell you that my people were a peaceful one, bordering on pacifist… Only a few amongst us saw the threat that was coming and prepared for it, myself included. Unfortunately our elite force wasn't enough… and the metarex destroyed us. Now I'm the only remnant of my people, as far as I'm aware…"

Tails looked at Alice with sympathy… He realised she wouldn't accept pity from him, but he hoped at least she would accept his support.

"I'm sorry to hear that… So is that why you're looking for Cosmo, because of the tragic fates you share?"

"You are an inquisitive creature Tails! No surprise on my part, with your brains… But to answer your question: My reasons for searching for Cosmo, and keep her safe furthermore, shall remain concealed for the moment. I can tell you that it is something similar to what you say. But until we find her I can't indulge you any further I'm afraid."

"…She's connected to the curse your face carries, isn't she?"

"You're a very observant young fox Tails… and that is all I shall say on the matter for now. Besides, I think Shadow is finding our conversation a bit distracting. Aren't you?"

As the creatures looked to where Shadow had stood before, they realised he was nowhere to be seen, even as they scoured the area around them.

"Where did that damn oaf go?" Alice asked irritated. "He's the guy who said not to separate too! Pft, my butt…"

Tails' ears started twitching… He heard something again, rustling in the bushes. "…Wherever he's gone off to, we're definitively on our own for now" he said, clenching his fists as he prepared for whatever was to come, now that the sun had nearly set…


	6. Chapter 6

The grass kept rustling every so often… and it seemed that every time it began it was in a completely different spot.

"I hope you're not so rusty that you can't handle a fight, because we're about to have a big one" Alice stated, brandishing her dao. "Pull your weapon, and then stand back to back with me."

Tails was about to say he had no weapons when something struck his mind. He'd carried his belt along with him, and on it he had a great variety of tools. Most of these tools were useless in a fight, but amongst them was a special charger he used to power his other tools if their batteries ran dry. This charger could also double as a stun gun. He scrounged through the belt, pulled out the charger, and adjusted it to produce the "correct voltage" for this task.

Alice looked at Tails with a cracked eyebrow for a second, but soon dismissed Tails' makeshift weapon. She had other things to worry about, and as long as Tails lived to tell the tale he could fight in whatever manner he chose.

That's when the two creatures began seeing faces in the twilight. Alice quickly counted them. A band of seven bandits had set upon them. All of them were hooded and carried an array of blades. One of them, the apparent leader of the pack, also carried a handgun, which he pointed at Alice.

"Ya don't wanna do that missy! Drop 'em, or ye'll-"

Alice took advantage of the thief's distraction as he waved the gun around and charged him, thrusting the dao into his chest. The blade pierced deep, and before the bandit even had a clue what hit him he laid in a bloody heap on the ground.

Tails was horrified at the gory scene, but he couldn't allow himself to drop his guard. The other bandits weren't happy with what they saw and attacked.

Faced with four bandits attacking her at once, Alice swept the dao sideways to create distance to her attackers. She trusted Tails could cover her rear, so she focused on these scoundrels in front.

Tails on the other hand, wasn't all too confident. He was used to fighting machines with great strength but little skill. These bandits seemed to know their way around with a knife though. He flinched as two bandits charged him, unsure who to take on first, and got stabbed in his left side as a result. The pain was terrible, but it also brought Tails out of his trance and forced him to focus. He spotted one of the bandits trying to reach him from the other side and rolled out of the way. As Tails expected, the first bandit took over for his buddy. As he rushed Tails, he had the charger shoved into his gut. The jolt meant to charge batteries was more than enough to make the bandit spasm and fall over. As the other caught up he received the same treatment as his comrade, although for even longer as Tails grabbed hold of him to keep him upright. The extended duration not only toppled the bandit, but also made him continue to seizure as he fell to the ground.

As Tails dealt with his attackers, Alice kept hers at a distance, waiting for an opening to strike them down, or for a chance to cut down an eager attacker. She was surprised, however, when one of them picked out something from their pocket and threw it at her. Alice dodged the projectile, which looked like a smooth rock, only to hear it crack behind her. A distinct whoosh from behind her indicated a plume of fire, which she was forced to jump away from. The bandits saw this chance and rushed Alice, blades at the ready. She regained her balance in time to defend herself from the flurry of blades aimed for her, but not in time to make effective use of her weapon's length.

Tails saw Alice's plight and ran to help her. Jumping straight into the fray, Tails tackled the bandits from the side, causing their dense grouping on Alice to backfire as they fell over on each other. One of the bandits managed to retain his balance, but he was quickly cut down by a well placed blow to his neck from Alice.

"Do we really need to kill them?" Tails asked nervously whilst pinning down the closest bandit as best he could.

"Do you see another way? Have at it!" Alice replied, fighting with the two remaining attackers.

As one of them tried stabbing Alice in the gut she grabbed hold of his arm and shoved the dao into his gut from close range. The other bandit tried grabbing Alice's exposed weapon, but found her strength to be superior as his grip caused him to fall over when Alice pulled back her dao. Before he could get back up, Alice had stepped on his chest and pinned his down with one foot. He reached for his knife to equalize the odds, but was cut short as Alice cut his hand off. Screaming in pain, the bandit was defenceless as Alice finished him off with a thrust to the head.

Tails saw the spectacle, having disabled the bandit he fought with through an extended shock. He was taken back by her brutality… She clearly had no problem causing pain to survive. But while he questioned her method, he decided it wasn't worth debating over. This was her way of combat, no matter what he thought of it…

Tails was about to tell her to come over when he noticed one of the bandits he'd stunned before was running at him. He tried to stun him again, but the bandit deflected the charger and tried to stab Tails, missing only from the lack of balance his defence brought. He still ran straight into Tails and knocked him down to the ground. He straddled him and attempted to disarm him. As they fought, a blade suddenly pierced through the thief's body, stopping barely an inch from Tails' own body.

Alice pulled back her dao and rolled the thief's limp body off Tails. A stain of blood across Tails' chest worried her. "Are you alright?"

Tails didn't answer… He just looked down on himself, patting and rubbing across his torso to get the blood off…

Alice put the dao aside and grabbed one of Tails' arms, forcing his attention. "Get a grip Tails! It's just his blood. We can wash it off when we return to your ship."

"Just his blood?! Gaia's Mercy Alice, you just killed someone right on top of me! Allow me some shock!"

Alice just shook her head and picked her dao back up. Another of the bandits recovered and tried to attack her, but she quickly dispatched of him by cutting his head off. Still lying down, Tails saw the decapitation. Alice looked like the Grim Reaper as she swung her dao, and Tails suddenly realised he could've been covered in a lot more blood than he was…

"Bloody…" was all he could say, wiping his forehead from sweat. Noticing the last bandit alive trying to get up, Tails saw a chance to save at least one life… He quickly got up and ran over to the brigand, quickly shoving him down into the tall grass and disarming him. He tried struggling but Tails shook him and barked at him.

"Hey! Wanna stay alive? Then don't resist!"

Alice ran over to Tails as she noticed the commotion, dao at the ready. When she found Tails was in control, however, she lowered her guard.

The bandit stared up at Alice with wide open eyes, violently shaking his head. "Gaia no, don't let 'er get me! Please!"

"Then stop fighting at once!" Tails warned the thief.

"I am stopped! I am blighted stopped!" the thief exclaimed, letting his arms go limp.

"And stay like that! Alice, can you search him for me?"

"You want to take him prisoner?" Alice asked.

"No… I just want him to survive. We'll take his weapons and gear, and then we'll let him go."

"Are you serious? He and his mates just tried to kill you!"

"They're not trying anymore… I don't know about you, but I'm still capable of showing mercy."

Alice sighed loudly. "Please Tails… Do you know what this one could do if we let him go? He could return to avenge his buddies with added numbers. Or worse, he could assault someone else!"

"I don't want to kill him, and we don't have the means to keep him prisoner. Please Alice… He's not worth it."

Alice turned around and rubbed her forehead for a while, irritated at the turn of events. She then turned back, sheathing her dao as a display of her intent. "Fine… But he's not going without a mark."

"Not without what?"

Alice walked up to the thief, pulled away his hood and mask to reveal a young, terrified, anthromorphic black fox with brown eyes and long, brown hair tied into a ponytail. She held his head down as she pulled a knife, quickly slitting a cut across his left eye.

"Ah fack!" the thief swore as he tried grabbing his face, hindered by Tails' hold on him.

"Shove it! It's just a scar, to remind you of our fight here whenever you get criminal ideas in the future. If I find out that you did anything bad, and I literally mean anything, then even Tails won't keep me away from you next time! I am the White Reaper, the daughter of Death, and your life is mine now. Disrespect me or my command, and you'll end up like your friends…"

The thief kept his eyes closed as Alice spoke, but he heard every word she said… If he wasn't in so much pain he'd be begging Alice for mercy… As it was, he could only utter one word: "M-Milady…"

Alice smiled behind her veil. Perhaps Tails' idea of showing mercy occasionally wasn't so bad after all… As for Tails, he just held the thief's wrists and let Alice do as she would whilst she frisked him.

After a short while, having pulled out several daggers and clay bombs from the thief's pockets, Alice took over Tails' grip and pulled the thief to his feet. She let go of his wrists, but before he could scurry off she put him in a half nelson.

"Before I let you go I want to know one thing…"

The thief was finding it hard to breathe within Alice's grip, and didn't resist her demands. "Wh-Whatcha wanna know?"

"Your name…"

"…They call me Green 'round 'ere, but me real name's Jeve Greenmoon, milady."

"Hmm… I really like being called "milady" for some reason. Anyway, Jeve… Remember what I've said, and don't steal again."

"I'll try… But I can't make any promises. Cascade is-"

Alice shoved her other hand into the back of Jeve's head, increasing the pressure on his neck for a short while. "Don't! I have no interest in hearing your reasons. Don't let me hear you stole something again, or you're dead. Is that simple enough for you?"

"If I can't steal I'm dead already! 'Tis that simple! Please… Don't do this t'me… 'ave some pity milady."

"I've shown enough pity simply by letting you live. You're in no position to-"

"Come with us then."

Alice looked over at Tails with a glare that seemed to pierce through her veil. "Excuse me? Didn't you say that you wanted him to run free?"

"What's the point in being free when it's only going to get you killed? If he sticks with us we can keep him fed AND keep an eye on him. It's a win-win situation, assuming of course that you won't play any tricks on us Jeve."

"I wouldn't dream of it kid!"

"Call me Tails…"

"Right, Tails, gotcha…"

Alice sighed even louder than before. But on second thought she could see the use in keeping this guy around… She'd need to keep an eye on him anyway, so she might as well put him to some use. The thought made her smile a little.

"Alright then, Jeve sticks with us. But he's not coming near any of my weapons, and he'll be my servant. It's my mercy that keeps him alive, and he'd do well to uphold it. Can we all agree on that?"

"Sounds be'er than the option" Jeve stated, wriggling a little in Alice's arms. "Could ya please ease that grip? I think I'm gettin' the blues…"

"Not yet thief… Pick up his weapons Tails."

Tails rolled his eyes. "Yes milady…" he said as he did as told.

"Try not to be too funny Tails. I respect you, but not that much."

After Tails finished removing the weapons, Alice finally let Jeve go. He gasped for breath a little, but recovered quickly.

"Phew… Blimey, that's some strong abs ya got milady. I ain't felt some'in' like't in me 'ole life!"

"Let's go you two. We still need to find Shadow."

"Lookin' fer a friend?"

"Yes, we've become separated from one of our companions. A mobian hedgehog, black and red fur, serious expression… I guess you saw him when you and your "friends" stalked us."

"Yea', we took the first advantage we found t- um… I mean, yea' we saw 'im."

"Do you know where he is?"

"No, we decided t'take out the many f-, um… we didn't follow 'im."

Alice shook her head at Jeve's hesitant answers. "Well, at least we know he's safe… for now. We were headed for the centre of these mountains, so that's likely where he's gone off to. Know where that is?"

"Sure! I can get y'all there in no time."

"Then lead on Jeve. And do keep a bit in front of us at all times…"

"No rest fer the wicked, no trust fer the captive… Fair 'nough. Let's go…"


	7. Chapter 7

The sun had just set behind the distant hills, creating an ominous atmosphere which made every straw of grass in the brown mountains seem like another bandit laying in ambush. Thankfully this wasn't the case for the trio of travelling creatures, who were led by their former attacker…

In this lack of light, Jeve's fur seemed to melt into the surroundings like a stick to a tree; you only saw it was there if you took the time to look for it… or if it revealed itself to you.

"Wouldn't want y'all losin' track o' me now, would I?" Jeve stated as he removed his black leather jacket, revealing a very skinny figure embraced only by a tight, grey vest.

"Oh don't you worry about that. I can see in the dark with my scopes" Alice replied, showing a glint of red light through her veil. "It's painful to have your eye replaced by a machine, but it's alright when you get used to the change."

"Did you say "replaced"?" Tails asked, shocked by what he heard.

Alice chuckled at Tails' reaction. "I didn't take out my own eye if that's what you think. I'm not Odin! No… No, I lost it in a skirmish once, along with my right arm, and my people were quick to replace my destroyed parts with new ones… I'd rather have kept my biological limbs of course. But I can't argue with the advantages these trinkets bring."

"Odin? Huh, didn't expect an offlander t'know stuff 'bout our native gods."

"Oh I know a few things. It's one of the perks with being a traveller; you overhear a lot."

Tails scratched the back of his head. "Right, that's what you meant by replaced… Sorry, I just thought…"

Alice waved her hand dismissively. "It's alright Tails. You've had a lot of trouble with machines in the past, so I understand your concerns. Just know that while I have no trouble with extending ones reach beyond biological means, I still respect Mother Gaia and her creations more than you could realise. It takes ingenuity to create life, even more such to allow life to further itself. That's what separates us from machines; our ability to evolve and adapt without reason or logic, and still end up with greater strength than we had before."

Tails almost beamed from hearing Alice speak. "Whoa… That's pretty deep. Were you religiously involved with your people?"

Alice smiled beneath her veil at the compliment. "No not more than the average. But as I travelled I realised how much philosophy and outlook really affects one's life. As a consequence, all the choices I make are carefully considered and weighed. A process I wish everyone would endure, as its output isn't as egocentric as you would think…"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that helping each other is better than fighting each other. And you realise it if you take your time to think about it."

Tails nodded. "Yeah, I guess that makes sense… Anyway, where are we now, Jeve?"

"Almost there kid…"

"Would you stop saying "kid" to me? I'm about the same age as you, even though I'm shorter!"

"Ach, sorry Tails… Can't 'elp it. You mobians… So small n' cuddly, always beamin'… All o' y'all remind me o' kids!"

Tails wasn't sure whether he should feel insulted or not by this phrase. Never the less, he did have one phrase in mind. "I'm not cuddly, am I?"

"Oh I couldn't say…" Alice mumbled, looking away as she started snickering. Jeve just burst out laughing like mad as Tails began blushing sheepishly.

"Get off my case you two!"

"Heh, I guess it's for the best. We're still in the woods, as the saying goes. I for one would want to clean my cloak before it gets even dirtier."

"Thanks for reminding me of my own mess… Gaia's Mercy…!"

Jeve suddenly stopped dead in his tracks, putting up his arms to keep the others from moving. "Shh! There's someone there y'all…"

Sharpening their senses, Tails and Alice followed in Jeve's steps as he leaned over a small hill.

"Looks like yer pal's pretty stationary y'all…"

Indeed, it was Shadow they'd come across. He was standing in the middle of a patch of grass; his eyes closed as he spoke softly to himself. Though his words were inaudible to the group, they knew better than to interrupt whatever he was doing.

"Gotta tell ya, yer pal's kinda nuts" Jeve stated, speaking quietly.

"And why is that?" Alice asked sharply.

"'Cause he's standin' exposed like a bird perched on a mountain top. Just look at that: Right in t'middle of t'sun spot!"

"The sun spot?" Tails asked.

"A local legend says an angel crashed 'ere when she was tossed from the skies, rejected by the gods who feared her impurity would overshadow their own. Not sayin' I believe the skip o' drunkards, but that's the story in a nutshell. Anyways, this is the only spot within Bröneberge which's got some survivin' sun grass, named fer its vibrant yellow colour. I'm not surprised it'd spark stories…"

"Vibrant yellow… like the colour of my fur?"

"Kinda, now that I think 'bout'… Y'all know what he's doin'?"

Tails nodded to himself. "Yeah, we know… It's a long story, but we know."

"…No reason t'interrupt 'im then?"

"None whatsoever…"

"Sure, cool, just so we're all on the same wavelength n' that stuff… Gotcha…"

The three creatures watched in silence as Shadow continued to murmur, seemingly mirroring his every reaction: Every twitch of a finger made by Shadow made their toes curl. Every deep breath he made in turn caused them to hold theirs… Shadow was focusing his power unlike anything Tails had seen before.

This was the moment that a thought entered Tails' mind, and distracted him from Shadow's magic. Why was Shadow searching for Cosmo in the first place? It was something that Knuckles, ever suspicious of the wrong creatures, had asked when Tails said his goodbyes. At the time Tails had just dismissed it as another of his mistaken misunderstandings. But now that Shadow was pulling his weight like this… using such focus and power to find a clue as to where Cosmo had gone… What was his motive? He wasn't exactly known for his philanthropy, much less for a simplistic mindset… Why would he waste so much time and effort on searching for a single creature, someone who might not even still be alive?

As Tails pondered, he suddenly felt a gust hit him, carrying some dirt within its winds. Pulled from his brooding, he noticed that Shadow had stopped speaking. He then pulled a single straw of grass from the ground and studied it intensively. After having finished his study he pulled out a small bag from his belt and gently put the straw inside. His next move startled the group.

"Get down here, all three of you, and show your faces."

Shadow stared straight up the hill they were hiding behind, as if he knew exactly where they were all along.

Alice puffed a bit, walking down to Shadow first. "You never cease to amaze, do you?"

Shadow's grim expression was lessened to his normal, casual bitterness. "Ah, it's you… and Tails… You finally show up… Who's the newcomer?"

"A little fox who tried to scoop up some eggs from the chicken's nest. We decided we'd all be better off if we just took him along …at least for now."

Tails and Jeve were down shortly after Alice. Jeve walked up to Shadow, eager to greet him.

"Hey there, Jeve's the name! I 'ope I won't be trouble."

Shadow grimaced at the tone of Jeve's voice. "Well if you want to be safe you could always just stay quiet…"

Jeve cracked an eyebrow at Shadow, not entirely certain what he meant. "Huh? Is it bad breath? Mind y'all, that's 'ow it gets when there's little but vegetables t'gnaw on for y-"

"Just be quiet, alright?"

"Geez… Bugger me nice won't ya?"

Turning his attention from Jeve with a shake of the head, Shadow looked to Tails next. Even in the poor light of Cascades moon he could see that Tails had been bloodied.

"What happened to you Tails? Are you injured?"

"Huh? Oh, the stains… No, one of the bandits bled on me. I tried cleaning it off, but I guess blood's stickier than it appears when it dries…"

"One of the bandits…? Never mind, it's not important. What is important is that I've found out about our next destination."

"You've found Cosmo then?" Tails asked cheerfully.

Shadow shook his head. "She did come here, but the trace indicates she's long gone."

"Gone where?"

"She went toward Solice, a small town not too far from here. There's little else I can tell from this clue however… Something's wrong, as if the chaos around Cosmo is interfered somehow… I have a feeling that our search won't be getting any easier."

Jeve cleared his throat, as if looking for attention.

"What is it?" Shadow asked.

"I ain't gonna ask too much, as it ain't me business anyway, but lemme get this straight… You guys are 'eaded t'Solice?"

"Yes we are."

"I'd recommend y'all t'reconsider. That place is crawlin' with crooks n' thieves, most of 'em not 'alf as civilized as me… There' even supposed t'be mobsters o' the Tam Kong there, though I ain't seen 'em m'self."

"We haven't got much choice. Our road leads straight towards that town, whether it's safe or not."

"That's a problem, innit? Well alright then, I guess I gotta do me part t'keep us safe. I grew up in that place, so I know me way 'round. With luck we might not e'en be confronted with any lunatics, though I wouldn't give a chance fer avoidin' trouble altogether. Y'all be'er get yer arms in gear. Me… I'm gonna find a place t'leak. Wouldn't wanna do it while in town…"

"Can we trust you to guide us in Solice?"

"I don't wanna sound bold or nothin', but d'y'all got any choice?"

Shadow shook his head and sighed. "Fair enough, we'll get ready by light tomorrow. Any objections?"

Alice shrugged her shoulders. "Many, but none of great relevance. I rightfully doubt his sincerity, but like he said, there's little choice."

"Then let's return to the spaceship and set up camp. Tails; get yourself cleaned up. After that you're on the first watch."

"Got it Shadow… What about you Jeve?"

"Me? I'll just try n' sleep… I ain't got much lately. Might do wonders with a proper ol' sleepin' bag…"

"Ha! At least then we'll know where we've got you" Alice scoffed.

"Safely tucked away in a bag, like an 'arvest taters, eh? Mm… I miss me some chips."


	8. Chapter 8

The nights on Cascade are of similar length to most other habitable systems, but night could've lasted a few more hours as far as Tails was concerned… Tails' sleep had been deep, but as it was summer season the night had left few hours for it to affect him. As Alice roused him, he muttered like an oak moaning from a fat kid hanging from its branches.

"Come on Tails, get up. I managed to make some unburned toast on my first try and I wouldn't want you to miss out on it."

Tails flailed a bit with his arm as Alice shook him. "I bet you didn't look on both sides… Let me sleep…"

"Get up now, or you'll be up for roasting."

"Alright, fine! Gee, there better be some sliced chicken with that toast…"

"I hope pork will be satisfactory."

"…Yeah, that works too."

After breakfast, the group started preparing to go into Solice. Shadow grabbed a handgun from his packing to bring along. Alice took some time to redress herself with body armour. Tails brought along a portable shield unit, capable of protecting him from small arms fire for a short while, along with a first aid kit and his usual tools. As for Jeve, however…

"Look, I gotta be able t'defend m'self! I need a weapon in there milady!"

Alice and Jeve discussed loudly about Jeve's reliability with weapon in hand. Even as Shadow and Tails finished their preparations they raved with each other.

"I wouldn't even trust you with a pocket knife. We'll be able to protect you without arming you. Now quit arguing!"

"Maybe ya can, maybe ya can't! I'd feel much safer if I could fight for m'self!"

"And who's to stop you from stabbing us in the back?"

"Why'd I do that?"

"Freedom, revenge, a practised scheme, you take your pick!"

"But I-"

"Enough!" Shadow stepped between the two creatures, separating them with his arms. He looked between them as he spoke. "Jeve… If we run into trouble, you need to stick as close to us as you can. We won't need you to fight. Just defend yourself as you need." He handed a small baton to the fox. "Keep that close. And try not to strike the wrong creature with it."

"Shadow! You can't-"

"He needs to be able to defend himself Alice. Like it or not, he's our guide once we're in the city, and if he dies we won't know where to hide from trouble. We don't want to take any such chances in a city full of outlaws… I'm not saying I trust him. I'm just saying he needs a chance."

Alice flailed her arms in front of herself. "There's no need to listen to me! Absolutely no need at all…! No damn need!" She then began walking away from the group.

"Alice! Get back here!" Shadow shouted, chasing after Alice.

Tails was about to go after them as well, but felt Jeve grab him. He turned to the fox and saw him shake his head. "Let 'em do their runnin' about. They're goin' the right way anyway."

"…Does that mean I'm to be your watchman then?" Tails asked quietly.

"Sure, if y'all insist. Ya sported the idea I should tag along anyway, so why not?"

Tails nodded. "Yeah, I guess I did… I hope that wasn't an overly trusting thing to do."

"Tch, no trust fer the captive… If I'm such a bother, just get rid o' me."

"Oh no, I don't think so. You still have a shot at proving your worth… Just don't expect any favours until then."

"A blunted shiv in Solice… Yea', no favours done 'ere… Let's go kid."

"And stop calling me "kid" for crying out loud!"

"…Cuddly mobians."

"Shut up!"

The frustrations and differences in opinion slowly died down as the quadroon of creatures walked. Eventually the group had Jeve walk in front, and as they first saw Solice from across the mountains he let himself speak freely.

"Aah… Lookit, 'ome sweet 'ome. I'd 'oped not t'show like I did, but 'ey… I've kinda missed bein' inside those walls."

Solice looked mostly like a shantytown, with a plethora of sturdy-looking structures lined with makeshift shacks from the street and up to the rooftops. A larger, more ornate building was the centrepiece of the town; complete with its own walls and gate. And surrounding the entire city was a worn, concrete wall which looked like it was at least five metres high. But since no guards manned the walls they were most likely just for show.

Shadow gazed at the sight from one side to the other. His usually stern expression remained unchanged. "This place looks exactly like it did seven years ago…"

"Hm? Been 'ere before 'ave ya?"

Shadow shook his head. "I had a vision of Solice when I investigated the sun grass… A crude one, but it was no doubt Solice."

"Ah… Say, whatcha lookin' for anyway? I thought I 'eard y'all talk 'bout some Cosmo-girl before. Is that the one?"

"It's a long story… and it's none of your business."

"Alright, keep yer secrets. I almost started t'think I was in decent company…"

Waving off the comment, Shadow took the lead as the group headed to the gates of Solice. Jeve stuck close to his side, talking Shadow's ear off about Solice and its history; how it had been a central scene of the cascadian revolution shortly after the metarex war was over, and how the anthromorphs of Cascade had driven out their human overlords in this civil war.

Shadow was somewhat intrigued by the story… but after a while he couldn't stand Jeve's voice anymore.

"Look… I need some quiet to think on something, if you don't mind."

Jeve sneered a little at Shadow's dismissive demeanour. "Ye're always thinkin', ain't ya? That's the impression I'm gettin' anyway."

"Jeve… shut up."

"Right, fine… Blimey me chips…"

"By the way, Tails, Alice… First thing we do once we find a decent place to eat is we get ourselves some French fries. I hear it's a local favourite."

"…Ha, didn't think y'all paid notice!"

"Oh trust me; you're hard to miss once you open your mouth…"

"Eh… Why's that?"

"Have a gander about it…"

Only a few moments later the group arrived at Solice's front gate. It was an open arc, unbarred and unguarded. The group simply walked inside, trying to appear inconspicuous; something which was easier said than done.

A guardsman approached the group soon after they entered the city. He was wearing something similar to a 19th century cuirass, along with a helmet which covered all but his eyes. "Hold travellers" he told the group.

"Is something wrong officer?" Tails asked.

"I haven't seen any of you guys here before… Did you come to the city just now?"

"Yes we did, why?"

"Then you mustn't be aware of the toll to enter the city. It's a 2 dollar fee for daily passage, 5 dollars for a group of three or more."

The group looked at each other. They were uncertain what to make of this situation… Surely a toll wouldn't be randomly picked up like this? But then again, this was a genuine guardsman speaking to them…

That's when Jeve stepped forward, smirking wide.

"Say chap… Do y'all take us fer blind bonks? I've seen flatfeet with a be'er scheme than that."

The guardsman frowned at Jeve's accusation. "Are you suggesting I'm trying to deceive you?"

"No, I'm statin' that y'are. Now buzz off, or ye'll 'ave the ear o' town listenin' in on ya."

"I can't believe you would dare insult a city official in such a way! You four better cough up that toll or I'll-"

"Or you'll what…?" Alice stepped towards the guard, the red shine behind her veil making her appear demonic as she leaned over the guard with at least three inches. "Go on officer, speak up… I mean, you wouldn't dare trying to fool us, would you?"

Despite the guard's face being hidden by his helmet, the fear was evident in his eyes… Alice's presence was enough to make him sweat, even in the mild climate of a cascadian summer. He swallowed as he tried to find the words to speak.

"Um… You know what? I think I can make an exception for you guys, since you're obviously not the usual sort we get in these parts; nothing but petty bandits and… other suspicious sorts. I'll leave you to it then! Have a good day!"

The guard took off in the opposite direction he came from, jogging towards some unknown destination. Alice crossed her arms at his exit.

"Such a pitiful coward…"

"I can't believe it. A policeman just tried to scam us!" Tails exclaimed, rubbing his forehead in disbelief. "What sort of place is this?"

"I told y'all, Solice ain't a pretty place. The guards are alright though. They'll try rippin' ya off, but they won't rip ya apart without reason. The rest o' the bunch on the other 'and… Well there's a reason I stick to the outside most o' the time. Or the sewers…"

"The sewers?" Alice asked with disdain.

"The safest place in Solice is also the smelliest; anyone who's been 'ere more than two days'll know it. 'Tis where I spend me free time when I've got it."

"I thought there was something smelly about you…" Alice remarked, waving her hand in front of her face.

"Charmed as always milady… Anyway, we're in town. Where d'y'all wanna go?"

"Shadow, got any directions?"

Shadow pondered for a short while. "I remember seeing a crimson light across the street… a red light district of some sort."

"Ha! I know what ye're thinkin' of! Trust me, it ain't 'alf that pretty… The red light street is the place where ya find the city's hitmen. They're a motley lil' crew and a buncha crazy bastards… Don't tell me y'all wanna see 'em!"

"No we don't… But the street, we need to find it."

"The red light street? I hope y'all be packin' some serious 'eat, 'cause ye're gonna be in some icy waters real soon… Geez, and I ain't e'en 'ad me chips yet!"

"Jeve, can you tell me why we're not seeing a lot of trouble yet? I thought this place was supposed to be infested with all manners of criminal scum" Alice asked as the group headed through a series of small streets and alleyways.

"Two reasons: One, takin' a piss outta the guard is a sign that ye ain't one t'mess with. And two, I'm leadin' y'all."

"And here I thought you were the humble kind."

"Only when 'tis true, milady… or would ya rather 'ave me tell a lie than boast a bit?"

"Hmph… That excuse is exclusive to warriors. You're a rogue, a bandit scum. And if you're not careful, you could become a rag."

"Ha! Think I don't know that already? Push me 'bout as ya will milady, but y'all ain't that different from me. Just listenin' to ya I can 'ear ye've seen 'orror n' done stuff ye regret… stuff far worse than any o' me own thieveries… Pray tell Alice, what sorta criminal were y'all before ya came 'ere? Used to enforce big brothers' word?"

"…Jeve, one more word like that and I don't care what good it does. I'll rip out your tongue from your mouth and use it choke you to death. And that's not a metaphor."

"Ye've got the tongue t'match… I ain't makin' ya lick me no more, 'less ya want to?"

"No, it's your turn to lick me now, Jevie-boy…"

Meanwhile Tails and Shadow looked at each other, puzzled by this superficially intimidating yet even display of verbal battle… As crude as their words seemed, Jeve and Alice still didn't seem like they were truly fighting. It was more like if they were measuring each other up, or sparring at the most… This wasn't the typical argument between foes, but more like a heated discussion between rivals, with the mutual respect that followed. A strong contrast to their usual behaviour… or was it?

"Um, Jeve, how far is it left?" Tails asked, testing the tense situation for its validity.

"Two streets n' we're there. Don't disturb me; I've got me'lady t'lick."

Alice chuckled at Jeve's words. "Back to metaphors again, I hope…"

"As far as ye'll go, there's where I'll be…"

"Well we're not going that far, are we?"

"Fair flight, I like short walks too…"

Hearing them banter on was the proof Tails needed: They were simply cussing each other for fun. Knowing this, Tails smiled and allowed himself to relax.

The sense of calm soon disappeared, however, as the group heard a gunshot close by. The whistling sound of passing bullets was absent, but they took cover in any case. Alice grabbed Jeve and inched forward, persistently holding close to the wall.

"I don't think we oughta-"

"Shut it!" Alice interrupted Jeve.

"But…"

"We need to know what's going on, whatever it is, so as to stay out of it as much as possible" Alice explained as she neared a corner. Leaning across the corner, Alice saw how a single gunman stood in the street, hunched over a dead body.

The gunman casually rummaged through his apparent victim's pockets, helping himself to any valuables he found. He then stood back up and fired two more bullets into the victim's chest to ensure the job was done.

"Y'all don't mess with us, fackwit" he spoke, kicking the body for good measure.

Alice tried to lean back, but bumped into Jeve who tried to peek forward at the same time, and the two fell over each other and into the line of sight of the gunman.

The gunman turned in their direction. He was wearing a hooded sweater for cover, but no mask. He looked like a fox, blood-crimson fur and with dark, brown eyes. His clothes were stained with the blood of his victim, and as the fox raised his gun at Alice and Jeve there was little doubt he wouldn't mind adding another body or two to his count.

"Well now, ain't this a familiar face…" the gunman said, looking at the two with a smirk.

"What are you talking about?" Alice asked, trying to lie as still as she could.

"Not you stranger, the foxy guy on toppa ya. I know yer face like me own arse, Green."

Slowly getting to his feet, Jeve looked at the gunman with a serious expression.

"And ya know I ain't a snitch. I ain't got a death wish, nor reason t'say stuff. I'm just having a gander with me gang."

The gunman laughed at Jeve. "Always fallin' into the wrong spots, ain't ya Green? Look I don't wanna get more bloody than I 'ave ta, 'spite the name, but ye're makin' it difficult, know what I'm sayin'?"

"Whatcha want?"

"Yer silence… You n' yer three gangers, includin' those hidin' 'hind that wall, don't say a word 'bout this and we're all cool, catch?"

"Sure stuff, we cool."

"Now don't y'all forget why I'm playin' nice with ya. But if ye're smart ye'll forget ya e'er saw this…"

Backing away slowly, the gunman soon disappeared around the narrow streets once he was out of range for a pursuit. As Alice got back to her feet, Shadow and Tails were quick to join up with her.

"Who was that?" Tails asked, looking between the streets and the body on the ground.

"Don't know t'be true. He used t'be parta me gang, but he was kicked off 'cause he was too violent in his approach. They call 'im Bloody David, and not just 'cause he's rabid red…"

"So you used to know that guy, did you?" Alice asked, crossing her arms at Jeve.

"Only on a business level! As much as he's bloody, he's smart. He don't make friends, 'cause there ain't none t'make… He knows a smart character though."

"And here I thought thieves were witless fools. If he respects you, then that might just be true."

"Pshaw… He knows I'm a good thief. He knows I won't snitch, nor will me "accomplices"."

"And what says we won't? That guy just executed someone right in front of us. Do we really want him to roam free?"

Jeve shook his head vigorously at Alice. "Don't e'en think 'bout! That bastard means business! Unlike me, he won't think twice 'bout killin' the folks he don't like, e'en less 'bout the folks who sell 'im out! I've seen ya fight milady, yer a respectable warrior… But David was born with a gun in 'and. He might give ya a run for yer money!"

"Dangerous or not, he won't get away with murder… even less with indebting me… I'll have his-"

"We don't need this kind of trouble Alice…" Shadow stated, putting a hand on Alice's shoulder. "There'll be another time for that. And we still haven't found what we came here for."

Alice growled as she looked in David's direction. She shook off Shadow's hand from her shoulder, but didn't go anywhere. "Fine, he gets off for now… But I'm not one who forgets. That bandit doesn't know what's coming for him…"

Taking the silence that followed as an opportunity to disperse the discussion, Tails tapped on Jeve's shoulder. "How far is it left?"

"'Tis just 'round the corner. C'mon, I don't wanna be 'ere longer than I must, 'specially not with 'em coppers no doubt showin' soon…"


	9. Chapter 9

The Red Light Street, so named for the various locales sporting red lighting, which spilled out into the street like a river of blood at night… Although in the day this street might as well have been any other street in Solice.

"But come night, and y'all might think twice 'bout roamin' 'round free."

Alice looked about the street… She saw a few bars and a restaurant, all in poor shape, but little to reveal anything about the heinous reputation of the Tredje Gatan. A length of pipe outside one of the bars was stained with something suspiciously similar to blood… She walked up to it, crouching down to investigate.

"This looks fresh…" she stated as she stood back up.

"Well we're certainly not looking for any fresh leads…" Shadow muttered, looking over the place. "And maybe that's just as well… I get the feeling that this place wasn't the same seven years ago."

"Funny y'all should mention that… I 'ear there was some big fight or 'nother 'ere 'bout that time. A lil' 'uman girl stirred up a lotta trouble back then, got a bunch o' folks killed in a riot… Bloody 'umans, always makin' a mess wherever they go…"

Tails was concerned with Jeve's last comment, but didn't feel like delving deeper into the subject at the moment. He was more concerned about the riot…

"Say Jeve… Do you know what the riot was about?"

"Not all sure, frankly. A group o' 'umans decided they wanted t'beat us to a pulp when a small girl spoke to 'em. An offlander that one, if I'm right… They tried overthrowin' the local government n' claim the city as their own. They didn't succeed thankfully, but they got a lotta our kind killed in the wake, lotta theirs too…"

"What was the girl's name? Are you sure it was a human?"

Jeve looked curiously at Tails and his increasing interest of the riot. "…You guys ain't lookin' fer this one, are ya?"

"I'm not sure… Please, just answer my questions."

Jeve shrugged his shoulders. "T'was a 'uman, as sure as I'm a fox. As for 'er name… I think someone called 'er Mary or some'in'. Not sure…"

Tails nodded, feeling a wave of disappointment hit him. "Right… thanks anyway."

"Hrm… Y'know, some say she arrived in town 'bout the same time as that angel at the sun spot… like some devil stalker… Per'aps they're linked?"

Shadow had listened to the conversation, and decided now was the time for a few questions of his own. "The girl… What did she look like?"

"From what I saw in 'em papers she was a small kid. Blonde 'air, blue eyes, blue dress and an 'eadband… She was quite mature for 'er age though, talkin' like a grown woman from what some say…"

Hearing Jeve's description, Shadow began having flashbacks from his earliest years… back when he was just beginning to understand the physical world he'd been created in.

"Maria…"

Jeve snapped his fingers. "Right! That's what they called 'er!" he exclaimed. He then turned slowly towards Shadow, cracking a wary eyebrow. "…Y'all know 'er?"

"I knew her… I knew her all too well… But she's supposed to be long dead."

"So's that Cosmo-girl y'all be lookin' for. You ask me, this sounds no less crazy than that."

Shadow walked over to one of the walls and leaned on it, trying to gather his thoughts… understand what was happening… "Maria… Cosmo… Could they be linked somehow?" he murmured to himself, rubbing his forehead.

"Is there something around here that could be linked to Maria, an object of some kind?" Tails asked.

"Well… the restaurant o'er there's where it all started. Mayhaps that'll make do?"

Tails pulled at Shadow's arm. "We won't get any answers just standing around. Let's go inside, see if there's anything worth our time."

Shadow looked up from his thoughts and, after locking eyes with Tails, nodded. "Let's…"

At this time of day not a single patron was at the Red Day Restaurant, yet a single employee was carefully setting the tables, meticulously trying to make everything look perfect. A job which the group suspected was very unthankful in this neighbourhood.

"Excuse me…" Tails spoke to the employee, who didn't seem to notice him. "Excuse me miss, can I ask you something?"

The employee looked up at Tails. Her shoulder-long, blonde hair had covered most of her features, yet now that she was showing her ratty face it was evident that something wasn't right with her… She stared at the group with wide-open, orange eyes, and with her mouth slightly ajar. Her entire head twitched as she looked at them.

"Who… Who are you? Why are you here?" she asked with a quick, nervous voice, her head twitching continuously.

"We just need to take a look around… Don't mind us." Tails dismissed the girl's odd demeanour. It was none of his business anyway.

"But… No… They shouldn't come here… No… The pretty will become ugly… No! Go!"

"I promise that we won't disturb anything. We are just here to look around, nothing else. Please?"

"P-Pretty… The pretty will stay pretty… Yes… But… No… Master will get angry… No… Master will make pretty become ugly… No… Master! Go away!"

Alice stepped forward, but was stopped by Tails. She looked at him angrily. "We don't have time for this. I'll just shuffle her out of the way until we're done."

"No, she'll cause a ruckus. The last thing we need right now is attention. Take it easy… Let me just talk to her."

As Tails spoke with Alice, however, Jeve had snuck forward and walked up to the girl.

"I said go! Master will-"

"Yer master won't mind us bein' 'ere" Jeve said, smiling gently and trying to appear harmless as he spoke with the girl. The following conversation was in cascadian, so the group was left clueless as to what was said. But at least it was pretty clear that Jeve was gaining the girl's trust.

Finally Jeve patted the girl's shoulder, and then motioned for the others to come with him. "C'mon y'all, 'tis time t'look around!"

Jeve's words left Shadow and Tails pondering on what had been going on, but they didn't question his actions. Instead the group headed downstairs, following Jeve's lead.

Once out of ear's reach, Jeve turned to the group. "Since ye're no doubt wonderin', I told 'er we were 'ere t'inspect the structure fer Björn, 'er master."

Alice looked at Jeve suspiciously. "How did you know that this Björn was her master?"

"I didn't, but I saw 'is name on a desk further back, n' only a big-time guy will 'ave a desk in this rat'ole. So he might not be 'er master, but he's important enough t'do."

"Wait, what desk?"

"While y'all were busy with the girl I decided t'take a peek-about. I saw the desk far back in the room, a perfect spot if ya wanna keep an eye on things yerself. There were some papers lyin' about, with several signatures from Björn. It ain't 'ard t'put the pieces together, eh?"

Tails stared at Jeve with his mouth slightly ajar. "Signatures on papers? How in the name of Mobius did you see those?"

"I snuck close, a simple task with y'all actin' distraction." Jeve smirked mischievously as the group all kept looking at him questioningly. "Ya learn quite a few things 'bout sneakin' when y'all need t'stay low fer a livin'. But there ain't need t'look this gift 'orse in the mouth, is there? I got y'all in, she won't bother us, so let's do what we came 'ere for and "look around", shall we?"

Alice let out a sigh. "I dislike your methods… but I admit to their efficiency in this case. Shadow, where and what?"

"I had no vision of this place before we arrived. That said… there is an unmistakable aura of chaos within this basement. There's something here that will lead us to Cosmo, or the Maria imposter."

"That's rather vague. Do you know what it is we're looking for?"

"No more than whom this Maria imposter actually is. We're looking for some sort of memorabilia, something from the riot…"

Jeve reached into his pockets and pulled out what looked like a small banner. "Ya mean this?"

"…Your skill at sneaking about is unnerving. Give me that." Shadow took the banner from Jeve and studied it for a short while. "Hmm… It's clear that the girl herself held this banner. She…" Interrupting himself midphrase, Shadow's face began distorting into a tense masque of dread. "No… Gods and Devils, Immortals and Mortality…"

"What is it Shadow?" Tails asked, fearing the answer might not be a good one.

"I… I can see broken images… Shattered and molded memories… I see madness… Yet at the base of it is no mere physical attribute… All of these are real memories… No illusions or lies…"

"What are you talking about?" Alice asked.

"I think that taking control was a poor decision on my end… Maybe I should've let Sonic help me, even if it would've violated my pride… Damn it!"

"Shadow, talk to us!" Alice burst out, grabbing Shadow by the shoulder. Her action soon met resistance, as an unseen force pushed her back and into a wall. "Ah!"

"Alice!" Tails hurried over to her side. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, but Shadow's fallen into a chaotic vision… I saw it when he first discovered Cosmo's brooch. He went completely blank for a minute, and then came to with quite a story to tell…" Alice accepted Tails' hand to help her back up to her feet. "We can't do anything until he regains consciousness."

Jeve inspected Shadow closely, careful not to touch him in any way. "Hrm… He's 'bout as stiff as a log. He's doin' a good job keepin' his balance though. I tell ya, that don't look like any o' the cramps or seizures I've seen. Maybe there's some'in' to this chaos-talk after all…"

"What, did you take us for lunatics?" Alice asked Jeve piercingly.

"I still do, sorta… But there's some'in' goin' on, even I can see that!"

"Well the difference between madness and genius is minute, as some will tell you."

Tails rubbed his chin, thinking aloud. "So… Cosmo's brooch and this banner, they both caused chaotic visions… But he could gleam memories from the rose and from the sun spot as well… Tell me if I'm wrong, but I assume that only very intense memories cause this loss of presence. Am I right?"

Alice shrugged her shoulders. "That's what I think as well. I haven't bothered asking Shadow directly before, but then I'm not the one with chaos powers, so quite frankly I couldn't give a darn."

"Well if we're right, I'm not sure whether I should be excited or anxious…"

Shadow's entire body suddenly twitched, and he started to look around, his expression one of shock and mild confusion.

"Damn it…" he muttered, leaning against a nearby wall whilst trying to catch his breath. "Damn it all…"

Tails jogged up to Shadow, almost getting into his face with the obvious question. "What did you see?"

Shadow stayed silent for a while, gathering his wits, before looking at Tails with a stern expression which made his usual one seem like a playful smile.

"Tails… I know where Cosmo is."


End file.
